Machine for making grass twine.



PATENTBD DBG. 1, 1903.

n T.Y W. JBRREMS. lvmotnm ma MAKING GRASS WINE,-

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 15, 1903. N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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"NDL 745,625. l PATBNTBD DBG. 1, 190s.

l T. W. JERREMSI MACHINE EUR MAKING GRASS TWINB.

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yPATENTED DEG. 1, 1903.

T. W. JERRBMS.

` MACHINE POR MAKING GRASS TWINE.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3` APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15. 1903.

No MODEL.

TH.: mams Seks no. vn

N u. 745,625. PAIENIED DEG. l, 1903.

T. WK. JBRREMS. I f MACHINE FOR MAKING ,GRASS TWINE.

LIGATIGRILBD JAN. 15, 1903. No nonni.. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES atented ecember 1, 1903.

PA-TENT Grinch.

THOMAS WV. JERREMS, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOROF ONE-HALF TO EDWARD W. GOODRICK, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

IVII'AGHINEFORv MKING GRASS TWINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,625, dated December 1, 1903. Application led January 15,*1903I Serial No. 139,242. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.'

Beit known that I, THOMAS W. JERREMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of 'Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful lmprovementsin Machines for Making Grass Twine; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othxo ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. Myinvention has for its object to provide an improved machine especially adapted for making what is known as grass twine; and to this end it consists of the novel devices and combinations of deviceshereinafterdescribed, and defined in the claims. Asis well known, this grass twine or cord is made from long wiry swamp-grass, which is usually twisted zo togetherby means of machines provided for that purpose. This grass twine or cord is used for a great many different purposes in the commercial field. Hitherto such grass twine has usually been made with a single z5 twist, and to prevent unwindiug of the same it has been'wound about with an ordinary binding twine or thread.

The principal feature of my invention resides in the grass-feeding device for feeding, in an even order of succession, the long wiry grass-stems to the twisting devices or to other devices which are to receive them. This grass feeding device involves coperating blades or bars having serrated edges-that is, teeth or similar projections which coperate to feed the grass-stems one or more at a timeone or more of the saidfeed-bars or blades having a vibrating movement to produce the feeding. action.

in an improved form of twister for twisting together the stems. This twister involves a pair of reversely driven beveled disks set with their axes at an angle to each other. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan View ofthe complete machine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the irregular line r2 ai? of Fig. 1.

c action was taken on x8 es of Fig. 1.

Another feature of the invention is found y Fig. Sie a transverse vertical section taken on the'line x3 w3 of-Fig. 1. Fig. et is a detail in vertical section on the line m4 x4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail in section on the line m5 11:5 55 of Fig. 1, showing one of the twisters. Fig.

6 is a detail in plan illustrating the action of a pair of twisting-disks on the twine. Fig. 7

is a detail in section on the line x7 as? of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a diagram of certain of the driving- 6o belts and pulleys, showing the same substantially as they would appear if the line of their Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 509 m9 of Fig. 1 and showing the grass-feeding 65 devices. Fig. 10 is a detail in'plan and with some parts broken away, illustrating therelative positions of the three serrated feed blades or bars of one of the grass-feeding devices. Fig. 1-1 is a detail in front elevation showing 7o the intermediate portions of the feeding blades or bars illustrated in Fig. 10 and also in certain of the other views; and Fig. 12 is a horizontal section on the line x12 :cl2 of Fig. 11.

Y The numeral lindicates a horizontal base or bed plate provided with a plurality of vertical staudards 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. By means .ofthe standards 2 and 3 twoindependent feed devices are supported at what may be termed 8o the front of the machine. Each of these Vfeed devices in the construction illustrated involves as follows: The character a indicates three vertically-disposed feed blades or bars having serrated inner edges a and beveled inner edges a2 above the said serratious. At one side two of the feed-blades a are located parallel to each other, but spaced apart laterally, while the onecoperating blade ou the other side is so located that it works in a plane 9o passing between the coperatiug blades on the other side, as best shown in Figs. 10 and 12. The coperating beveled surfaces a2 form an upWardly-diverging crotch, which leads downward to the serrated edges of the feedblades and is adaptedA to receive the buttends of the bunch of long grass-blades, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 9, wherein the character .e indicates such grass-blades. The said feed-blades a are guided for` true vertical roo movement by slot-and-piu engagements a3,

formed between the same and laterally-projecting portions of the upper ends `of the brackets 2 and 3, as best shown in Figs. 9

. and 10. At their lower ends the said blades a are provided with depending portions a4, which are pivoted on the crank portions a5 of a crank-shaft a6, journaled in suitable bearings on the standards 2 and 3, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 9. The cranks d5 have a very slight throw, usually not more than one-sixteenth of an inch. The depending portions a4, which connect together the pairs of laterally-spaced blades a, serve as spacing-blocks to separate the lower ends thereof, while the upper portions of said-blades are spaced apart by spacing-blocks a7, as best shown in Fig. 2.

The top ends of the two bunches of grasse are independently supported by hopper-like plates a8, shown as supported by projecting arms a9 of the brackets 2 and 3. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

.Suitably journaled in the standards 2 and 3 in the vicinity of the crank-shaft a6,-but rearward thereof, is a pair of parallel shafts d10, which are provided with cooperating feedrollers du, located in position to receive between them and to feed forward the blades of the grass delived thereto by the cooperating feed-blades a, as will hereinafter more fully appear. To impart proper rotary movements to the shafts d10 and their rollers et, as indicated by arrows marked on Fig. 2, the crank-shaft a6 is provided with a spur-gear am, which meshes with a wide-faced spurgear L13 on one end of the upper shaft d10, and the corresponding end of the lower shaft (L10 is provided with a spur-gear al, which also meshes with the said wide-faced gear cl3, as best shown in Figs. l and 2.

The crank-shaft a receives motion through a belt b, which runs over a pulley blthereon and over a relatively large pulley b2, carried by a shaft b3, suitably journaled in the lower portions of the two laterally-spaced standards 4, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

All of the running parts of the machine receive motion from the shaft b3, and the said shaft receives motion from a power-driven belt, (not shown,) but which would run over a Ipulley b4 on the said shaft b3.

In line with each grass-feeding device and each cooperating pair of rollers a is a so-called primary twister constructed as follows: In suitable bearings 4 on the upper ends of the standards-l are cooperating shaft-sections c, which extend transversely of the machine, but at a slight angle to each other, as best shown in Fig. l. Secured to the abutting ends of the cooperating shaft-sections c are beveled disks c', which are yieldingly pressed ing-shaft b3. The left-hand b'eltc3 (directions being taken with respect 1o the observer standing and facing the receiving end of the machine) is a cross-belt, while the right-hand belt c3 is not a crossed belt. The inner shaftsections c are rot-ated in reverse direction from the cooperating outer shaft sections through belts c6, which run over pulleys c7 on said inner shaft-sections and over pulleys cs on the said driving-shaft b3. The right-hand belt c is a crossed belt, while the left-hand belt c6 is not a crossed belt. The disks of the primary twisters will thus through the belts c3 and cG be so driven that `they will twist two strands of the cord in the same direction.

The partially-twisted strands of the twine are guided from the feed-rollers au tothe respectivetwisters-to wit, the cooperating twisting-disks c-by guide-spouts e9, shown as supported at their receiving ends from the standards 2 by brackets 2a and at their delivery ends by yoke-like portions 4b of the standard 4, which yokes are further provided with short guide-tubes 010, that extend therefrom in the opposite direction from the tubes c9 and on the delivery sides of the primary twisters, as best shown in Figs. l and 2. l

From the guide spouts c10 the twisted strands of the twine are, as shown, passed over so-called drawing-sheaves f, carried by a transverse counter-shaft f', journaled in the standards 6 and receiving motion through a belt f2, which runs'over pulleys f3 and f4, respectively, on the shafts f and b3. Cooperating with each drawing-sheavefis an idle presser-wheel f5, mounted in the free end of a gravity-held arm f, pivoted to an extension 6a of the corresponding standard 6, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 7. These presser-wheelsj5 keep the twisted strands of the twine pressed against the grooved peripheries of the drawing-sheaves f, so as to give the latter suflicient frictional engagement with the said strands, and to further insure the proper drawing action thereof on the strands the grooves of the said sheaves are advisably roughened, as shown in Fig. 7.

After the strands of the twine pass the drawing-sheavesf they are drawn and twisted together to form a single cord by means of a so-called fsecondary twister, which is shown as substantially identical in construction with the primary twisters, and hence is indicated by like characters. To guide the twisted strands of the cord from the drawingsheaves to the secondary twister, they are passed over idle guide-sheaves f7, shown as mounted on the projection 6 of the standards 6, as best shown in Figs. l and 2. The said secondary twister is located to the rear of the drawing-sheaves f, and preferably on a line passing midway between the same, as clearly shown in Fig. l. If found necessary, a guide of suitable construction may be placed just in front of the cooperating beveled twisting-disks cof this secondary twister. The shafts cot' this secondary twister are journaled in suitable bearings?n of the standards 7 and are provided with grooved pulleys 011. A crossed belt cl2 runs over the lefthand sheave c11 and over the pulley cl3 on the shaft f. An ordinary belt c14 runs over the right-hand pulley c11 and over a pulley 015 also on the said shaft f. In this way, as is evident, reverse rotary movements are'imparted to the cooperating disks c' of the secondary twister.

The completed cord as it is drawn from the secondary twister is preferably passed over a secondary pulling-sheave g, the short shaft g of which is mounted in the upper end of the standard 8 and receives motion in the proper direction to pull rearward on the twine through a belt g2, that runs over pulleys g3 and g4, respectively, on the shafts g and f. This secondary pulling device, like the primary pulling devices, involves also an idle presser-wheel g5, which is carried by an arm g, pivoted to an extension 8a of the standard S.

Operation: In starting a machine into action leaders or sections of twine already formed are first passed through the spouts o9 between the beveled disks c' of the primary twisters, between the cooperating sheaves f and the presser-wheels f5, over the guidesheaves f7, then both of the same between the twistingdisks of the secondarytwister and between the sheave g and coperating presser-wheel g5 of the secondary drawingsheave. -Then when the machine is set into action the strands of the cord which is being formed will follow the paths of the leaders just above followed out. Under the rapid but very short reciprocating motions of the coperating feed blades or bars tt their ser.- rated edges a' will Work downward the buttends ofthe grass blades or stems in an even order of successionto wit, one or more for each reciprocation, but always approximately the same number foreach reciprocation-and will drop the same where their ends will stand in position to pass between the coperating feed-rollers all. By'the feed-rollers said grass-stems will be fed endwise into the corresponding receiving ends of the guidespouts a9, and as theyare drawn through these feed-spente they will be loosely twisted together under the actions of the primary twisters-to wit, the primary twisting-disks c'. As the partially twisted strands are drawn between the primary twisting-disks, the cooperating members of which it will be remembered rotate in reverse directions, the said strands will be tightly twisted and will be reduced to their minimum size. All this time the twisted strands are of course constantly drawn rearward by the so-called primary drawing devices, consisting of the cooperating sheaves f and presser-wheels f5.

It will further be remembered that thelefthand disks of the primary twisters are driven in the same direction and that the two righthand disks of the said twisters are driven in a reverse direction, but in the same direction with respect to each other, so that the two strands of the cord are twisted in the same direction. Hence when the two twisted strands are brought together they tend to twist into a common cord, which twisting movement is assisted by the so-called secondary twister. Itis a well-known fact that two cords twisted in the same direction,

then placed together and released, will twisttogether and form a single cord. After the two twisted strands pass from the primary drawing devices they are passed between the beveled disks of the secondary twister, and are thereby twisted into a single cord. The secondary twisting-disks serve to true or even up the cord twisted from the `two strands and to give the same acomparatively smooth outer surface. After the finished cord passes from between the disks of the secondary twister it passes between the coperating sheaves g and presser-wheel Q15 of the secondary drawing device and is kept drawn taut up to that point. From thence the cord is wound ontoa suitable reel (not shown) or is delivered to any other suitable device which may be provided` for receiving the same. Y

It will of course be understood that the machine above described is capable of a `large range of modification within the scope of my invention as herein set forth and claimed.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

l. A feeding device for a machine of the character described, comprising opposing blades or bars having cooperating serrated edges, and means for vibrating one or more of said blades or bars to produce the feeding action, substantially as described.

2. A feeding device for a machine of the character described, comprising opposing blades or bars having coperating serrated edges, and having diverging upper extensions which afford crotches leading to the said serrated edges, and means for reciprocating one or more of said blades or bars to produce the feeding action, substantially as described.

3L In a feeding device for a machine of the character described, the combination with opposing blades or bars having coperating serrated edges and diverging upper portions which afford crotches leading to said serratedV edges, supports or rests cooperating with the diverging portions of said blades or bars, to support the twineforming material, and means for reciprocating one or more of said blades or bars, substantially as described;

4. A feeding device for a machine of the character described comprising opposing feed blades or bars having coperating serrated edges and diverging upper portions, the latter affording crotches leadingto said serrated edges, and means for reversely reciprocating the opposing feed blades or bars, substantially as described.

5. A feeding'device for a machine of the IOC IIO

IIS

l[er described comprising a pair of reverselydriven spring-pressed beveled disks set with their axes at an angle to each other and trans- I versely intersecting the line of travel of the material being twisted, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS W. JERREMS.

Witnesses:

ELIZABETH H. KELIHER, F. D. MERCHANT. 

